Apex Legends Beginner Guide: Tips for Your First Matches

Last checked: November 9, 2026.

Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale where squads of three (or two in Duos) drop onto a large map with up to 60 players, loot weapons and gear, and fight until one squad is left. A Ring closes in over time and forces everyone together. This guide covers what you need for your first matches: how a match works, which Legend to start with, looting and healing, squad habits, and which modes to play first. It's based on EA's official beginner guides and the current Season 31 (Cipher) patch notes.

How a match of Apex Legends works

1. Pick a Legend. Each squad member picks a different character with their own abilities.
2. Drop from the dropship. One player, the Jumpmaster, steers the squad's skydive. Since Season 30, you can volunteer to be Jumpmaster during character select. If more than one player volunteers, the game picks one of them at random.
3. Loot. You land with basic gear. Search buildings, loot bins and the Death Boxes of beaten players for weapons, ammo, shields and healing items.
4. Stay inside the Ring. The Ring shrinks in rounds, and standing outside it damages you, so every squad is gradually pushed into a smaller area.
5. Fight and survive. Knocked-down players can be revived by teammates. If a player is killed, the squad can bring them back with a Respawn Beacon.
6. Be the last squad standing. The match ends when only one squad is left.

Which Legend to pick first

Two Legends are unlocked for everyone from the start, and EA recommends both for new players:

• Lifeline is a Support Legend who heals and revives. She helps you survive mistakes while you learn.
• Bangalore is an Assault Legend whose smoke gives you cover to push forward or escape.

Every Legend has a Passive (always on), a Tactical (short cooldown) and an Ultimate (charges over time). During a match your Legend also levels up, and at Level 2 and Level 3 you choose an Upgrade for your kit.

The Welcome Pass is a set of beginner challenges, each built around one mechanic, like using healing items or looting Care Packages. Completing it unlocks Bloodhound, Gibraltar and Pathfinder, then gives you 12,000 Legend Tokens to unlock any Legend you like. Our Apex Legends classes guide explains what each class does and lists every Legend.

Looting: what to grab first

Your first goal after landing is two usable weapons, ammo for both, and a shield. EA's advice is to land somewhere quieter, take 30 to 60 seconds to gear up, and then group up with your squad rather than perfecting your loadout.

Good first weapons. EA suggests the R-301 Carbine (consistent at close and mid range), the VK-47 Flatline (more damage, more recoil), the Volt SMG (fast fire rate, low recoil) and the Peacekeeper or EVA-8 Auto shotguns for close range.

Ammo types. Each weapon uses one ammo type: Light, Heavy, Energy, Shotgun or Sniper. Since Season 30, Energy weapons regenerate their own ammo over time while they're not firing, which makes the Volt a handy pick if you landed in a busy spot.

Rarity colors. Gear comes in white, blue, purple and gold tiers, from weakest to strongest. Season 30 made purple attachments rarer and removed gold attachments from the floor loot. Your best chances at top gear now come from special locations like vaults and Care Packages.

Learn a weapon in the lobby. The Playground tab (Legend Locker, then Weapons) shows each weapon's stats and how every attachment changes them. It's worth a look before you queue.

Healing and shields

Apex has two health bars: your shield on top and your health underneath. Shields are restored with Shield Cells (small) and Shield Batteries (large). Health is restored with Syringes (small) and Med Kits (large). A Phoenix Kit restores both.

The rule EA keeps repeating: heal early. When your shield cracks, break line of sight first, heal, then come back from a different angle. Players who push with a broken shield usually lose to players who reset.

Care Packages and Strongholds

Care Packages drop from the sky during the match and contain powerful weapons. They draw a crowd, so expect a fight.

Strongholds are new in Season 31. One Stronghold lands as the Ring closes in Round 2. It's a locked bunker that opens only when a squad captures the zone around it. Capture progress builds only while a single team is in the zone, and whichever team is there when the bar reaches 100% takes it. When it opens, every living squad member gains a Legend level, and inside you'll find a Care Package weapon, three Gold weapons, three Amps and two Corrupted Attachments. It's a big reward, but every nearby squad knows where you are.

Ping and stay with your squad

You don't need a microphone to be a good teammate. The ping button marks enemies, loot and places to go. EA notes that an enemy ping lasts 10 seconds and shows through walls for your whole squad.

The most common beginner mistake is drifting too far from the squad. EA puts it in numbers: a knocked teammate 50 meters away can still be revived, but at 150 meters in a contested area the odds are against you. A few habits that help:

• Move when your squad moves, and holster your weapon to run faster.
• Ping spare healing items and better weapons for teammates, and drop spares when someone asks.
• Call out when you're healing or backing off, so teammates don't push alone.
• When a fight starts, join from a nearby angle quickly. Two or three players shooting from different angles are much harder to deal with than one.
• Use your Tactical and Ultimate. An ability used to create space is worth more than one saved for a perfect moment that never comes.

Which modes to play first

The Battle Royale maps change on a timer. Our map rotation guide shows which maps are live this season. When you're ready for Ranked, read our Apex Legends ranked guide first.

A simple first-week plan

1. Spend 5 minutes in the Firing Range before your first match each session.
2. Play Lifeline or Bangalore for a few matches in Bot Royale Evolved.
3. Pick one Welcome Pass challenge per session and focus on it.
4. Choose one primary weapon and stick with it for a week.
5. After each session, note what killed you most: greed, timing, position or panic.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apex Legends free to play?

Yes. Apex Legends is free on PC (EA app, Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. You need an EA account and an internet connection, and the game sells optional cosmetics.

What is the best Legend for beginners in Apex?

Lifeline and Bangalore are the easiest starting picks because they're unlocked for everyone and EA recommends both. Lifeline's healing keeps your squad alive, and Bangalore's smoke helps you escape bad fights.

How many players are in an Apex Legends match?

A standard Battle Royale match has up to 60 players. That's 20 squads of three in Trios, or 30 squads of two in Duos.

What is Bot Royale Evolved in Apex Legends?

It's a beginner playlist that EA recommends for new players. Matches in it count toward Welcome Pass challenges, so you can learn the basics without the pressure of a full live lobby.

When can I play ranked in Apex Legends?

Ranked unlocks at account level 20. Season 31 removed the extra Road to Ranked challenges, so the level is the only requirement.

How do I unlock more Legends?

Complete the Welcome Pass to unlock Bloodhound, Gibraltar and Pathfinder, plus 12,000 Legend Tokens for a Legend of your choice. After that, each Legend costs 12,000 Legend Tokens, and you earn 600 tokens per account level.

Is Apex Legends crossplay?

Yes. You can party up with friends on other platforms, and your progress follows your EA account. See our Apex Legends crossplay guide for how matchmaking works between PC and consoles.